Landon Cole Named Ohio County's 2021 Lilly Endowment Scholarship Recipient

Landon carries a 4.0 GPA and stars in three sports, among other extracurricular activities.

Landon Cole. Photo provided. 

(Rising Sun, Ind.) - A member of the 2021 graduating class of Rising Sun High School, has been selected as the recipient of Ohio County’s 2021 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship. Landon Cole has been named the 2021 recipient of the scholarship and will receive full tuition to the Indiana College or university of his choice. The scholarship also covers required fees and up to $900 per year for books and required equipment. The scholarship is administered by the Ohio County Community Foundation. Landon is the son Jacob and Rachael Cole of Rising Sun.

Landon was chosen from an excellent pool of applicants for the prestigious scholarship. He is ranked 4th in his class and carries a 4.0 GPA. Landon has not only excelled in his academic studies but also in varsity soccer, varsity baseball and varsity basketball. He has been named an ORVC Player and All-Sectional for soccer and baseball. He was voted Soccer MVP his junior year. He currently serves as the Team Captain of the varsity basketball team. His extra-curricular school activities include SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) Club, Spanish Club, HOSA (Health Occupation Students of America), and the National Honor Society. Landon is employed during the mowing season by the Rising Sun New Cemetery. His volunteer community service includes the Rising Sun Navy Bean Festival, the Rising Sun Catfish Tournament and serving as an Ohio County Election Poll Worker.

Landon plans to attend either Purdue University or Butler University this fall to study Pharmacy. He chose the field of pharmacy because of his love for chemistry and after being inspired by his chemistry teacher, Mrs. Levi and a cousin who is a pharmacist.

The primary purposes of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program are 1) to help raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana; 2) to increase awareness of the beneficial roles Indiana community foundations can play in their communities; and 3) to encourage and support the efforts of current and past Lilly Endowment Community Scholars to engage with each other and with Indiana business, governmental, educational, nonprofit and civic leaders to improve the quality of life in Indiana generally and in local communities throughout the state. This year is the 24th cohort of the awarding of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship statewide. To date, 4,912 full-tuition scholars have been awarded and over $424M in scholarship tuition has been provided through the LECSP since the program’s inception in 1998.

The Ohio County Community Foundation is proud to administer the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship for Ohio County. This past fall, scholarship applications were submitted from the senior class of Rising Sun High School. The committee uses a blind process to evaluate the applications which means the committee does not know whose applications they are evaluating. The scholarship selection includes three processes: the application, a written essay and a personal interview. The scores are based on the scholarship criteria which include academics, financial need, activities (extra-curricular, sports activities and employment), community volunteer activities and a written essay. Five finalists were selected based on their application score and were interviewed individually by members of the selection committee. The selection committee then forwards the nominees information to Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc. which then makes the final selection of the recipient.

Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation that represents 30 regionally accredited degree granting, nonprofit, private colleges and universities in the state.

The Ohio County Community Foundation Staff, Board of Directors and Scholarship Selection Committee would like to congratulate Landon Cole for being named the 2021 Ohio County Lilly Endowment Community Scholar.

The Ohio County Community Foundation is located at 330 Industrial Access Drive, Rising Sun. For information concerning the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship or other scholarships administered by the Ohio County Community Foundation, please call 812-438-9401, email sscott@occfrisingsun or visit our website at occfrisingsun.com.